USA > Michigan > Biographical history of northern Michigan containing biographies of prominent citizens > Part 51
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Politically, Mr. Wiltse is a stanch Re- publican and has ever evinced a live interest in the trend of passing events. His fellow citizens have honored him several times by election to public office, in all of which posi- tions he has acquitted himself with great personal credit and to the advantage of the community. His first public position was as school inspector, and he was then elected township supervisor, holding the office until 1903, seven consecutive years. On Novem- ber 8, 1904, he was nominated and elected to the position of county treasurer, which position he is now efficiently filling. His fraternal affiliations are with the Free and Accepted Masons and the Patrons of Hus- bandry.
On December 25, 1894, Ralph Wiltse was united in marriage with Miss Minnie' Norton, the daughter of Levi L. and Clarissa (Davis) Norton, of near Elmyra, Warner township, this county. This union has been a most happy and felicitous one and has been blessed by the advent of the following chil- dren : Edward, Ruth C. and Arthur L.
CARLTON V. HINMAN, M. D.
Though the subject of this sketch gained marked precedence in the work of his noble profession, to which he devoted his un- divided attention for a number of years, he has practically retired from the practice of medicine and surgery, having found his strength inadequate to meet the demands placed upon him, and he is now one of the representative business men of the thriving little city of Bellaire, the judicial center of Antrim county, where he is a member of
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the prominent and popular grocery firm of degree of Bachelor of Science. While a Hemstreet & Hinman.
Dr. Hinman is a native of the Wolverine state, having made his debut in the drama of existence at Portland, Ionia county. Michigan, on the 7th of September, 1858, and being a son of Sidney S. and Mary. (Perrigo) Hinman. His father was born in Wayne county, New York, in 1831, where his father was an early settler and success- ful pioneer farmer. The father of the Doc- tor came to Michigan in an early day and continued to reside in Ionia county for many years, having there devoted his attention to carriage making, and there his death occur- red in the year 1897. His wife, whose death occurred in September, 1903, was born in historic Elizabethtown, Union county, New Jersey, in 1833. They became the parents of three children, of whom the Doctor is the eldest. Annette is the wife of Frederick T. Boles, who is a lumber dealer in the city of Chicago, and Sarah G. is the wife of Wil- liam H. Roberts, a prosperous banker at Bemidji, Minnesota. The father of the sub- ject was a carriage maker by trade and fol- lowed this vocation during the major por- tion of his active business career. He was a man of sterling characteristics, a devoted husband and father, and he ever com- manded unqualified confidence and esteem.
Dr. Hinman passed his boyhood days in the town of his birth and there secured his early educational discipline in the public schools. Shortly afterward he was matricu- lated in the Michigan State Agricultural College, near Lansing, the capital of the state, and there completed the then pre- scribed course, which was literary, scientific and practical in its nature, and was gradu- ated a member of the class of 1878, with the
student in the high school he learned the "art preservative" in the office of the Port- land Observer, working after school hours and during his vacations, and thus he served the required three years' apprenticeship and . was tendered a certificate as a journeyman printer. In 1880 the Doctor entered the Hahnemann Homeopathic Medical College in the city of Chicago, where he completed a thorough technical course and was gradu- ated in March, 1882, at which time the de- gree of Doctor of Medicine was conferred upon him. Concerning his later career an article recently published in a local paper has given a consistent resume, and we take the privilege of quoting from the same, with but slight metaphrase: "During vacations while attending both the agricultural college and the medical college he worked in a bank at Portland. After his graduation he prac- ticed medicine in his home town, Portland, until the fall of 1886, when he removed to Fort Scott, Kansas, where he was actively and successfully engaged in practice for the ensuing five years, the work finally becom- ing so arduous and exacting as to make serious inroads on his health, compelling him to retire from business there. In August, 1892, Dr. Hinman came to Bellaire, Antrim county, to practice medicine, building up a lucrative practice, which he partly gave up when he purchased the interest of H. A. Snyder in the grocery firm of Hemstreet Brothers & Company, in 1895. The heavy driving incidental to the practice of medi- cine in a new country and the hard work which is the portion of the practitioner, no matter where situated, had told upon the Doctor's strength and he thus wisely seized the opportunity of identifying himself with
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a successful mercantile concern. Since that time he has withdrawn from the active work of his profession with the exception of office practice and the acceptance of cases to which he can accord attention without driving. For several years past the books and the buying of goods-the office and executive work of the firm-have been given almost entirely into Dr. Hinman's care, and in no small degree is due to his administrative ability, foresight and scrupulous attention to details the steady growth and expansion of the business with which he has thus closely identified himself.
"Dr. Hinman served a year and a half as clerk of Kearney township, before moving over the river to Forest Home township, of which latter he has been clerk since 1897. He served two years as village clerk and dur- ing the regime of M. W. Newkirk as county clerk he was a deputy clerk, attending to the court work, in connection with other duties."
In the year 1884, in the capital city of the state, was solemnized the marriage of Dr. Hinman to Miss Mary Corey, whose death occurred in 1890, at Fort Scott, Kansas. She is survived by an only daughter, Esther, who is one of the popular young ladies in. the social circles of Bellaire and who is now devoting especial attention to the study of music, in which direction she has distinctive talent. On the 3d of June, 1896, the Doc- tor consummated a second marriage, being then united to Miss Leola L. Hemstreet, daughter of Edwin Hemstreet, the senior member of the firm of Hemstreet & Hinman. Dr. and Mrs. Hinman have an attractive modern home at the corner of Bridge street and Forest Home avenue, and here a gra- cious hospitality is in evidence at all times.
In his political allegiance Dr. Hinman is arrayed as a stanch advocate of the prin- ciples of the Republican party, and he stands forward as a liberal, public-spirited and pro- gressive citizen, ever ready to lend his aid and influence in the furthering of enterprises for the general good of the community. In a fraternal way he is affiliated with the local lodge and chapter of the Masonic order, hav- ing served several years as secretary of the lodge and for two years as its senior warden, while he is high priest of the capitular body of the order here at the time of this writing, being also a member of the local chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star, of which Mrs. Hinman likewise is a member.
LORRIN C. MADISON.
The subject of this sketch, who is well known as the owner of the popular drug store in East Jordan, was born in Rome City, Noble county, Indiana. November 2, 1840, the son of James Madison, who was born in Baltimore, Maryland. The latter came to Zanesville, Ohio, when a young man and finally removed to a farm near Rome City, Indiana, where he spent the re- mainder of his years. The subject of this sketch remained at home until about twenty years of age, when he engaged in the gro- cery business at Rome City. He came to Jackson county, Michigan, about thirty years ago, and also spent four years at Ok- mos, Ingham county, from whence he went to Fowlerville, Livingston county, and thence to Boyne Falls, Charlevoix county, in 1883. The county was then new and undeveloped,
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but the prospects for future development were so favorable he made this his per- manent home and has been active during his subsequent years here. He has from the beginning of his residence here been en- gaged in the drug business, being the oldest druggist in the county, and by strict ad- herence to fair dealing has won for him- self a representative patronage. He is also serving as superintendent of the county poor and agent for the board of corrections and charities. He has served in the former position sixteen years and gives his personal attention to the county poor farm, which comprises about eighty acres of land which was purchased in his administration and im- proved at an expense of about three thou- sand dollars, the expense being mainly ap- plied to buildings. The farm is located about two miles north of East Jordan and is a valuable and well improved piece of property. Mr. Madison has been secretary of the poor board for about ten years and the poor farm has had an average of thirteen inmates during the summer and from six- teen to twenty during the winters. Mr. Madison was, in Governor Pingree's ad- ministration, agent for the board of correc- tions and charities for five years and, in ad- dition to his drug store enterprise, he is also the owner of a number of pieces of real es- tate in East Jordan, adjacent to the corpor- ation and all suitable for building proper- ties.
In politics Mr. Madison is a stanch Re- publican and was formerly quite active in public work, though in later years he has not given much attention to public matters except what has been referred to above. He is a lover of horse flesh and enjoys holding the ribbons behind a good fast horse. In
fraternal matters Mr. Madison is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, having joined that order in 1863 while at Waterloo, Indiana, and has passed all the chairs in the local lodge and has several times been sent to the grand lodge. He is also a charter member of the Knights of Pythias at East Jordan and a representative from that lodge to the grand lodge.
Reverting to an earlier period in the sub- ject's career, it may be stated that in March. 1864, during the dark days of the Civil war, Mr. Madison enlisted in the Forty-fourth Indiana Regiment Volunteer Infantry at Kendallville, joining his regiment at Chat- tanooga, Tennessee, and being engaged in provost duties at Chattanooga after the bat- tle of Chickamauga. The regiment was later mounted and was in the battle of Nashville. The subject was engaged in the regiment for eighteen months, taking part in a num- ber of sanguinary conflicts and was for gal- lant services promoted to the rank of cor- poral.
In Albion, Noble county, Indiana, No- vember 5, 1868, Mr. Madison was united in marriage to Miss Leora Vincent, a native of Ohio, and to them have been born three children : Myrtle, who died at the age of four years ; Otto, who died at the age of six years, and Earnest, who conducts a confec- tionery, fruit and stationery store at Char- levoix.
Mrs. Madison is also a registered phar- macist, having studied under her husband's direction and devotes considerable time to the store. She is an active member of the Ladies of the Maccabees and served as lady commander for six years, being also sent as a delegate to the grand lodge. She is also active in the Woman's Relief Corps and
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takes an active part in its business. Mr. Madison is a member of Stevens Post, Grand Army of the Republic, of which he is past commander. He served as commander of the county association and was a delegate to the national encampment at San Fran- cisco, in 1903.
DOUGLAS C. LOVEDAY.
Probably one of the best known men in Charlevoix county, Michigan, is the able and popular gentleman whose name appears above and who has through years of an active career indelibly impressed his person- ality upon the community. Mr. Loveday was born October 15, 1840, in Barnstable, Devonshire, England, the son of William L. Loveday, an old college-bred man who de- voted his subsequent years to agricultural pursuits, his years after coming to America being spent on a small farm in Illinois where his death occurred about twenty years ago. His wife, mother of the subject, bore the maiden name of Louisa E. Sheargold, who survived him some years. At the age of ten years the subject of this sketch was brought by his parents to the United States and lo- cated first at Waukegan, Illinois, where he received a home education under the tutor- age of his father. At the age of about fif- teen years he earned his first money at odd jobs in the neighborhood, remaining under the parental roof until attaining his ma- ority. He rented land in Illinois for a while and was engaged in farming, but in 1871 he moved to South Haven, Michigan, where he engaged in fruit growing, also giving some attention to lumbering. In 1883 he
came to Charlevoix, the change being neces- sitated because of his continued ill health. He left his fruit farm in care of his wife and a hired man and on coming to Charle- voix he was so weak as to necessitate the support of two canes, but soon after reach- ing Charlevoix he had so materially im- proved in health that he discarded the use of any artificial support and finding this climate so beneficial he decided to make it his permanent home and after two months' residence here he traded his farm near South Haven for hotel property in East Jordan, which he soon disposed of by sale. In 1884 he engaged in the hardware business at East Jordan and has since resided here, follow- ing the hardware business for sixteen years and meeting with a gratifying patronage. Shortly after coming to East Jordan he se- cured his present business property, on which he made many improvements and also built a number of other buildings in the place. During this time he also handled lumber, brick, wood and cedar posts, trans- acting a business of about thirty thousand dollars annually.
He also built the Loveday Opera House about six years ago, this being a one-story anditorium costing about five thousand dol- lars, and with a seating capacity of eight hundred, the management of the opera house being under the control of the subject's son. Mr. Loveday also erected the first brick residences, including his own, in the town. In company with other enterprising citizens, he organized the local electric light com- pany and to obtain power for the same they built a dam one and one-half miles up the Jordan river, developing a two-hundred- horse power at a cost of about thirty thou- sand dollars. The dam has a twenty-four-
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foot head with a possibility of an increase. best men of both Democratic and Republican and not only furnishes power for the electric light plant but for various manufacturing enterprises including a grist-mill.
Mr. Loveday served two terms as a mem- ber of the village council, during which time the water works were installed at a cost of about twelve thousand dollars with an eighty-foot stand pipe which gives a pres- sure of eighty pounds to the square inch, supplied by a thirty-horse-power gasoline engine which with its attendant costs less than four hundred dollars annually to run, and affords excellent fire protection.
He also took an active part in all public questions, especially the county seat fight. He has been foremost in all movements for the improvement of the community, as is evidenced by the fact that he erected the first brick building and was the first to put in a steam heating plant and the first to build cement sidewalks, etc. He was instru- mental in securing Chicago boat service and was agent of the boat company and docked the boats. The Northern Michigan Com- pany ran their boats here for four seasons, running the "Champlain" and the "Law- rence," but finally withdrew the service when the people insisted on free dockage. Mr. Loveday secured the "Thomas Fryant," which ran to Petoskey and Harbor Springs until the West Michigan Railroad was com- pleted and it is stated the owner of the vessel, Captain Vanderhoof, cleared eight thou- sand dollars in one season in that service.
As before stated, Mr. Loveday has been active in local affairs and at one time becom- ing convinced that a change in the public officials of the county would be advisable and efficacious, he helped to form the Citizens party, and nominees were chosen from the
tickets who received the support of that element of the voters of the county who were earnest in their desire for a purification in politics, the independent ticket being suc- cessful at the ballot.
In 1863, at Waukegan, Illinois, Mr. Loveday was united in marriage to Miss Caroline Weller, a native of Canada, who after forty years of happy wedded life passed to the silent land on April 22, 1903. She was a faithful wife, loving mother and was devoted to her family, and an active mem- ber of the Episcopal church. While in Charlevoix she took active steps to form a society there and at East Jordan, resulting in the establishment at East Jordan of the Church of the Redeemer, of which Mrs. Loveday and her oldest daughter were active members. Mr. Loveday was also one of the original members of this parish, which was served by a rector from Elk Rapids and later from Traverse City.
To Mr. Loveday and his wife were born six children, but two of whom are now liv- ing, William Asa and Louisa E .; Maude died at the age of twenty-nine years un- married. She had been a teacher a number of years in the public schools of Charlevoix county and during the last three years of her life taught in a young ladies' school of the Episcopal church, known as Wolf Hall, at Denver, remaining there until the illness which resulted in her death. She was active in the home church and was an accomplished musician and of acknowledged literary abil- ity. The other three children all died in early life.
Fraternally Mr. Loveday is affiliated with the Knights of the Maccabees and largely through his strength and influence
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the order was kept alive for several years, ' and is thoroughly competent to supervise the though it is now a strong organization, hav- work under his immediate care. He is also a stockholder in the concern and has there- fore a personal interest in the securing of an excellent product. ing over one hundred and sixty members. In all of life's relations he has ably per- formed his part and largely to him is due the present prosperity of this section of Michi- gan.
H. G. McMILLAN.
The Argo Milling Company, with which the subject of this sketch is identified, is one of the foremost enterprises of East Jordan, Charlevoix county, Michigan. The mill is forty-eight by sixty feet in dimensions, three stories and basement, and was erected in 1903 at a cost of about six thousand dol- lars by the Argo Milling Company, the equipment costing thirteen thousand dol- lars additional. It has a capacity of about six thousand bushels in addition to a ware- house, and has a producing capacity of one hundred and twenty-five barrels of flour daily. The machinery, including six double stand rollers, is of new and latest improved pattern. The mill is run by electric power which is supplied by the general electric light and power company, and five men are employed in the operation of the mill. Wheat is secured from Minneapolis, Duluth and Milwaukee, the two grades of wheat Iron Duke and White Rose being blended. producing a fine quality of flour, put on the market under the trade name of "Argo" and which is consumed principally in the local markets of northern Michigan. The superintendent of this mill, H. G. McMillan, has operated it since its construction, also supervising the one at Charlevoix. He has had sixteen years' experience as a miller
Mr. McMillan was born in Livingston county, Michigan, January 19, 1868, and was reared on a farm, securing his education in the common schools of the neighborhood. At the age of twenty-one years he entered upon mill work and has followed that busi- ness throughout his subsequent life, now giving his entire attention to this business. He has been active in public affairs in his community and has served several terms on the village council at Charlevoix. Mr. Mc- Millan was married in August, 1895, to Miss Pearl Finch, of that county, and to them have been born two children, Erzella and Vera.
As a man and citizen Mr. McMillan is highly esteemed in his community and oc- cupies a conspicuous place in the confidence of the public. He is a man of strong per- sonality and represents a distinct type of the best American citizenship. He has always been interested in every enterprise for the general welfare of the community and liber- ally supports every movement calculated to benefit his fellow men.
DANIEL CATON.
The subject of this sketch was born on June II, 1835, in Erie county, New York, and spent his boyhood and youth on a farm along the Erie canal. At the age of nine- teen years he bought a one-half interest in a canal boat and became its captain, run-
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ning front Buffalo to New York city, and remaining so employed at intermittent periods until 1883, owning a number of boats during that time. For several years his interests lay mainly in buying and sell- ing canal boats. He had lived on the canal all his life and at Lockport for many years and was thus familiar with all details of the canal traffic and was able to form a quick and accurate judgment of the qualities of boats. In December, 1883, Mr. Canton came to East Jordan, Michigan, his removal being caused by the fact that his health failed. He left Lockport, New York, osten- sibly for Virginia, but a business trip was made necessary to Grand Rapids, Michigan. While there he came to northern Michigan to visit friends and liking the general ap- pearance of the country he decided to re- main, and in consequence never made his projected trip to Virginia. Soon after lo- cating here he sent for his family and then engaged in the flour, feed and meat business, which he conducted for six years. Dispos- ing of this. he engaged in shipping horses from Chicago for the East Jordan market, which at that time was an important and thriving business, about a carload of horses being shipped per month by the subject. He . was thus occupied until about six years ago when the demand for horses was so weak that Mr. Caton has since then retired from active business. He served as deputy sheriff of Charlevoix county for eight years under Sheriffs Hurd and Meyer, seven years of the time being under Sheriff Hurd. He also served as a member of the village council, and was elected president of that body. During his incumbency in the office street improvements were made and the village public works were in many ways im-
proved. Mr. Caton served also three terms as village marshal, proving a capable and ef- ficient officer. In politics he is a Republican and takes an active part in village and town- ship affairs, though refusing to accept any county office. He was elected constable in 1904, but declined to qualify for the place. He is a lover of horses and enjoys driving a good animal and takes pleasure in the breaking of horses. While in the state of New York he raised a number of horses which developed good speed and on the race track, afterwards attained quite a reputation. At the time Dexter held the world's record, 2:171. Mr. Caton was the owner of Joker, with a record of 2:26, which was con- sidered very speedy for those days. Mr. Caton believes in using the good things of this world and his living is to get from life the greatest amount of pleasure. Among his neighbors he is held in the highest esteem and enjoys the privileges of an upright and honest citizen in every sense of the word.
JOSEPH C. GLENN.
Joseph C. Glenn, president of the East Jordan State Bank, is a native of Butler county, Pennsylvania, where he received a fair common-school education. In 1854 he came to Leelanaw county, Michigan, locat- ing on a farm in Leeland township in 1860, and there spent seven or eight years. In 1879 he came to Pine Lake from Leeland. now East Jordan, removing his mill to East Jordan, it being the first and the only saw- mill on Pine Lake above Charlevoix, where Mr. Nichols was then located. There was then a store or two at South Arm village,
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now East Jordan, where a few men were en- gaged in getting out bark and ties. The sub- ject's mill had a capacity of about ten thou- sand feet daily and was constantly running at full capacity. Sometime after starting this mill the subject sold a half interest to William Porter, a young farmer of Leelanaw county, and they continued part- ners in the operations for about nine years when Mr. Glenn sold his interest to Aimes & Frost, under the firm name of the East Jordan Lumber Company. Mr. Porter re- tained his interest and continued as manager of the new company until the present time, their entire output being about two million feet of lumber, giving employment to from twenty to forty men about the mills. They operated a few lumber camps, though their logs were largely purchased from others. Their market was mainly Chicago and Mil- waukee and during their copartnership their business was very satisfactory from a finan- cial standpoint. Upon quitting the lumber business, Mr. Glenn moved to Kansas, lo- cating in Wilson county, where he purchased a flouring mill and operated it for eight years, then selling it and returning to East Jordan, Michigan. He entered at once actively into the varied business interests of this section and among his improvements being the erection of a number of sub- stantial buildings in East Jordan, the first brick building here having been erected by him. Mr. Glenn retained his timber lands at the time he sold his mill interests and still owns much of the same. Among his other financial interests he is a large stock- holder in the East Jordan State Bank and is the efficient and capable president of the same.
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